1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new and improved method and apparatus for the accurate correction of coincidence errors attendant to the automated detection and counting of mixed particles having detectable characteristics of different levels, wherein the detectable characteristics of certain particles (hereinafter referred to as the "dominant" particles), under coincident particle conditions, render undetectable the other of the particles (hereinafter referred to as the "dominated" particles), resulting in an inaccurate count of the dominated particles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although prior art methods and apparatus are known for the correction of coincidence errors attendant the automated counting of mixed dominant and dominated particles, none are known which accomplish this function with a truly high degree of accuracy. More specifically, these prior art methods and apparatus are generally limited in operation to a known, standard correction formula to correct for both dominant particle-dominant particle coincidence and dominated particle-dominated particle coincidence. While such formula improves the accuracy of both the dominant and dominated particle counts, it nonetheless totally ignores dominant particle-dominated particle coincidence errors and, hence, a truly accurate correction of the dominated particle count is not achieved.